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The Potatoland Special

Last revised: December 27, 2023

By: Adam Burns

The Potatoland Special certainly had a catchy name although this wasn't the Bangor & Aroostook's intent behind the moniker.  Instead, the designation referred to the potato's importance to both the railroad and state.

The train was the BAR's only overnight streamliner, providing an impressive level of services which ran the railroad's length between Bangor and the New Brunswick border at Van Buren. 

For nearly three decades the Special provided travelers a connection with the Maine Central at Bangor Union Station to the state's lonely northern reaches.  After the BAR lost through service south of Bangor, and with patronage already in steep decline, the railroad ended all remaining passenger operations.

Photos

History

The Bangor & Aroostook isn't a road one would tend to associate with streamliners and gleaming, colorful consists.   The BAR dates back to the late 19th century and eventually grew to serve much of northern Maine with southern connections reaching Bangor and Searsport. 

Its primary traffic consisted of agriculture (notably potatoes) and wood products (paper, pulpwood, timber, etc.) along with some coal.  The BAR's two notable passenger trains included the Aroostook Flyer and Potatoland Special, the former being a dayliner that ran the 230-mile corridor in about 6 1/2 hours. 

Inauguration

Both trains were launched in the late 1930s and originally steam powered led by older 4-6-0 Ten-wheelers as well as more powerful 4-6-2 Pacifics. 

One early promotional piece featuring the trains stated:

"Announcing!  The new Aroostook Flyer.  Completely New!  Air-conditioned, streamlined deluxe coaches, buffet-lounge car (no extra fare), fast day service between Van Buren and Boston via Aroostook Flyer and streamlined Flying Yankee." 

At this time lightweight equipment was not in use although that changed in 1949 when three new streamlined, coaches arrived from Pullman-Standard for the Flyer. 

These cars had cost $108,000 each according to Kevin Holland's book, "Passenger Trains Of Northern New England, In The Streamline Era," and brought a complete makeover to the BAR's operations.

This was particularly true when the cars were mated with one of the new F3As (#506A-507A, equipped with boilers for passenger service) or E7As (#700-701) - purchased between 1948-1949 - which completed the streamlined look. 

While the equipment was clad in stainless-steel wearing a large, centered blue band the locomotives featured a beautiful livery of blue and gray with yellow trim. 

On the nose was a winged emblem with the company logo "Serving Northern Maine" proudly displayed.  According to Mr. Holland's book this scheme was very similar to the Electro-Motive's F3A demonstrator scheme of 1945 while the winged look brought back visions of the Missouri Pacific's original Eagle streamliner of 1939.

Timetable (October 29, 1956)

Modern Accommodations

In 1953 the BAR returned to Pullman, this time for two 6-section/4-bedroom/6-roomette sleepers which were delivered in late 1954.  These cars were numbered and named; 80, North Twin Lake, and 81, South Twin Lake. 

A brochure describing the cars and their services notes the following:

"The bedrooms are arranged so that a sliding partition between two may be removed to make a bedroom suite, which is comparable to and more comfortable than Drawing Room accommodations. 

All berths have the latest foam rubber mattresses for restful sleeping.  In addition to the physical comforts and conveniences, Pullman employees, proud of their art of serving, are in attendance at all times." 

The new sleepers ran in opposite directions of one another supplementing a streamlined coach and buffet-lounge within the Potatoland Special's consist.

Final Years

The train provided six-days-a-week service and was especially tailored towards business travelers, offering a connection to Boston's North Station over the Maine Central/Boston & Maine via Bangor normally running within the Gull's consist. 

The northbound Special, train #1, left Bangor Union Station early in the morning and arrived in Van Buren just after noon that same day.  Its southbound counterpart, train #8, departed Van Buren in mid-afternoon and arrived back in Bangor late in the evening. 

As fate would have it the Special had a very short career.  In early September of 1960 the MEC discontinued remaining passenger operations, leaving the BAR with no southbound outlet.  As a result the railroad canceled its remaining trains in early 1961 - its two E7As were subsequently re-geared and used in freight service.

Sources

• Holland, Kevin J.  Passenger Trains Of Northern New England, In The Streamline Era.  Lynchburg:  TLC Publishing, 2004.

• Schafer, Mike. More Classic American Railroads. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 2000.